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Daily Readings for November 3
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2Chronicles 32
1.After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2.When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3.he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped him. 4.So many people gathered together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?"
5.He took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. 6.He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to them, saying, 7."Be strong and courageous, don't be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater with us than with him. 8.With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to help us, and to fight our battles." The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9.After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10.Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, "In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? 11.Doesn't Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, 'Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?' 12.Hasn't the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense?' 13. Don't you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand? 14.Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? 15.Now therefore don't let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this way, neither believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?"
16.His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 17.He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand." 18.They cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19.They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands. 20.Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven. 21.Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he had come into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword. 22.Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23.Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 24.In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death: and he prayed to Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign. 25.But Hezekiah didn't render again according to the benefit done to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26.Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn't come on them in the days of Hezekiah. 27.Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all kinds of goodly vessels; 28.storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil; and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks in folds. 29.Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance. 30.This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31.However concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 32.Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33.Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
Daniel 12
1."At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book. 2.Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3.Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; and those who turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. 4.But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run back and forth, and knowledge shall be increased."
5.Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side. 6.One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 7.I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8.I heard, but I didn't understand: then I said, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things? 9.He said, Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10.Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand. 11.From the time that the continual burnt offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days. 12.Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. 13.But go you your way until the end; for you shall rest, and shall stand in your lot, at the end of the days.
Acts 13
1.Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2.As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them."
3.Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4.So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5.When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They had also John as their attendant. 6.When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus, 7.who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 8.But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. 9.But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, 10.and said, "Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11.Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!"
Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12.Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
13.Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 14.But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. 15.After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak."
16.Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 17.The God of this people48 chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 18.For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19.When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years. 20.After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21.Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22.When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' 23.From this man's seed, God has brought salvation49 to Israel according to his promise, 24.before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.50 25.As John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' 26.Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 27.For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn't know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28.Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 29.When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 30.But God raised him from the dead, 31.and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32.We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33.that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son. Today I have become your father.'51
34."Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'52 35.Therefore he says also in another psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'53 36.For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. 37.But he whom God raised up saw no decay. 38.Be it known to you therefore, brothers54, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, 39.and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40.Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets: 41.'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.'"55
42.So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43.Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44.The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. 45.But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
46.Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47.For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, 'I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'"56
48.As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49.The Lord's word was spread abroad throughout all the region. 50.But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders. 51.But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 52.The disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit.